Ian H. Solomon is dean of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, where he leads a multidisciplinary faculty in creating new knowledge and developing leaders who can solve humanity’s greatest policy challenges. Trained as a lawyer, Solomon is a devoted student and teacher of both negotiation and conflict resolution.

The Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy welcomed four new professors to its distinguished faculty for the 2019-20 academic year. The Batten School considers not only academic rigor, but also real-world experience, political impact, teaching, and mentoring when recruiting faculty members.

In this issue: Dean Stam writes about how Batten students, faculty and staff are building a society where democracy can thrive, a new partnership between the Batten School and the UVA Center for Politics focuses on citizen engagement, how Batten students and alumni discover the transformational power of state government, and a Batten alum reflects on what led her to a career in the humanitarian sector.

Eric Ramputh (BA ’19) applied to the Batten School on a whim. Ramputh, who transferred to UVA and into the Batten School in 2017, recalls how he discovered the school and why it ultimately was the right fit for him.